Adelaide, Dec 6: Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his dissatisfaction with the Indian bowlers’ performance with the pink ball on the first day of the second Test against Australia, insisting they should have performed better.
At the end of the day, Australia stood at a comfortable 86 for one after rolling India for 180 in their first innings, fueled by pacer Mitchell Starc’s impressive six-wicket haul.
On Star Sports, Gavaskar remarked, “They have to force the batters to play as much as possible. This is the outcome when you compel the batters to keep playing. You can set them up by bowling a few deliveries wide and then drawing the ball back in, similar to what Bumrah did against Nathan McSweeney and Labuschagne in the Perth Test. The Indian bowlers haven’t utilized the pink ball as effectively as they should.” Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden referred to Starc as a “magician with the pink ball” after the left-arm speedster dismantled the Indian batting lineup.
Starc was the main destroyer for Australia, claiming six wickets for just 48 runs.
Discussing Starc with the broadcaster, Hayden expressed, “He has that scrambled seam delivery that moves across the right-hander, and when he has that capability – which he showcased – I must say I was somewhat surprised. I’ve never really seen the pink ball swing this aggressively into the 40th over.
“At that point, he used a crucial term, ‘momentum’, which is often underrated. The momentum was entirely in India’s favor.
“In both life and sport, reversing that momentum is tough, and Mitchell Starc accomplished it uniquely when the lights were dim and with that beautifully colored ball in his palm. He’s simply a magician with the pink ball.”
After reducing the visitors to 82 for four at tea, Australia captured the next six wickets at a cost of 98 runs before the dinner break.
Starc dazzled with his familiar inswingers, taking out R Ashwin and Harshit Rana, while Pat Cummins effectively employed the short ball.
Assessing Australia’s bowling effort on day one, Hayden said, “I believe Australia bowled in two segments. I felt their first 20 overs were relatively conservative. It seemed they were aware that the pink ball was about to start swinging.
“When Scott Boland came around and began hitting the stumps consistently, that marked the turning point. Around the 35th over, we witnessed Mitchell Starc unleash some of his missiles.
“That was after 45 or 50 overs, and the swing had begun. That’s what put them in the strong position they hold today.”
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also praised Starc’s outstanding performance with the pink ball.
“Ash’s dismissal is a prime example of why he’s so potent with the pink ball.
“When the ball swings back, even slightly, batters can usually adapt. But when they’re second-guessing on both sides, it increases his effectiveness significantly. His line and length today were exceptional.
“Additionally, he draws a lot of confidence from the pink ball, having performed well with it in the past. He’s likely the foremost exponent of swing bowling among the two teams.” (Agencies)
